“My Best Friend Always Did and Still Does Betray Me Constantly”: Examining Relational and Physical Victimization Within a Dyadic Friendship Context

Abstract

This study was an investigation of the nature of victimization within the context of dyadic peer friendships. In particular, relational and physical victimization were examined to determine whether level of victimization by a friend varied as a function of sex or having a reciprocated friendship. Qualities of the friendship and satisfaction with the friendship were explored as predictors of both forms of victimization. The sample consisted of 384 children in Grades 4 to 6 ( M = 10.5 years of age). Girls in relationally victimizing friendships described these relationships as high in both positive and negative friendship qualities, whereas both boys and girls in physically and physically plus relationally victimizing friendships described their relationships as more negative across all friendship quality variables. All children in victimizing relationships reported less satisfaction than those in nonvictimizing relationships. Using regression analyses, we were able to predict almost half of the variance in relational victimization and almost a third of the variance in physical victimization from friendship quality ratings. Some implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.